Ingredients :
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage
- 1 large onion chopped
- 3 carrots peeled and diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 can diced tomatoes undrained
- 1 can tomato sauce
- 8 ounces mushrooms sliced, optional
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups water
- 8 ounces dry lasagna noodles broken into bite-sized pieces
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese for topping
- Fresh basil or freshly minced parsley, for garnish, optional
Directions :
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, combine sausage, onions, carrots, and garlic. Cook until the sausage has browned and the vegetables have softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain if desired.
- Meanwhile, to the slow cooker, add diced tomatoes and their juice, tomato sauce, mushrooms, Italian seasoning, basil, fennel, and salt and pepper to taste (I like 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper). Stir in water and sausage mixture.
- Cover and heat on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours. During the last 10 minutes of cooking time, stir in the pasta, cover, and continue to cook until softened. Serve with mozzarella cheese and fresh herbs if desired.
